1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a user accessible destaticizing and cleaning workstation, having auto-start capabilities.
2. Description of Related Art
Non-conductive materials or objects, such as plastic lenses, can carry electric charges creating unwanted static on the surface thereof and thus can attract dust particles or other contaminants. Air ionization is a common and effective method of reducing and removing static charges on such materials. In typical air ionizers, high voltages are applied to pointed electrodes, thus charging air particles around the electrodes. Positive and negative ions are produced through this process of corona discharge and serve as mobile carriers of charge in the air. With the use of air current caused by blowers or compressed air, the positive and negative ions are projected to a designated location. Neutralization occurs when these positive and negative ions attract to oppositely charged particles on the surfaces of these non-conductive objects in which are placed at the designated location.
Numerous methods and apparatuses have been fashioned to eliminate such static charges in conjunction with ionization blowers and/or nozzles as well as compressed air and/or air from the surrounding area or environment.
Such technology is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,740. The patent discloses a conveyor line to transmit injection molded plastic lenses through a deionizing station to a coating station. The ionization source is a standard ionizing blower. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,248 exemplifies an ionization device that utilizes gas flow stations and a vacuum to remove any contaminants on the surface of lenses between the two disclosed stations.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0176642 describes an ionizer that primarily intakes ambient air and deionizes the same with the ionization blowers. The device's principal use is to reduce the amount of statically charged air around fuel dispensers, for example, gas stations.
In addition to work stations, ionization “guns” have been fashioned to complete similar tasks as those of the work station while maintain the ability to be a portable device. U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,769, to Rodrigo, describes a “Self Cleaning Ionizing Air Gun”, where multiple compressed air ports direct high velocity air into the barrel of an ionizer, drawing additional atmospheric air into the barrel from the open back end of the ionizer barrel.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0157402 to Caffarella, illustrates a method for a portable nuclear and/or electric ionizer. The device is devised with a compressible air chamber which acts like a hand pump. When squeezed, the ionized air blower expels a high stream of air over the ionizer and out of the device through a nozzle. Of particular note, the device is noted to be self-contained and does not require a connection to an external air source.
Other ionization devices have been specifically designed in order to provide a means for clean compressible air. For the reason that ambient air can contain statically charged particles, these devices allow the flow of clean pressurized air to flow within the ionization device. Several examples of such ionization devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,179,849 and 5,351,354.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,179,849 is a “Shockless Ionizing Air Nozzle” illustrating an ionizing air gun. The device features an electrode enclosed in the gun's barrel powered by an A.C. high voltage power supply. Compressed air is supplied to the gun through a cable which is then piloted to the electrode needle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,354 represents an electrical ionizer used in conjunction with a conveyer belt. When the object enters the device a “start” sensor activates the compressed air in order to remove contaminants from the surfaces of the objects by an array of ionization nozzles displayed on the same side as the object support means.
Several apparatuses have been produced in order to maintain a statically neutral environment for a specific object during the neutralization process. Chambers have been created in order to partially isolate the object while being sprayed with the ionized air so that particles from ambient air do not contaminate the surface of the object. Materials such a plexiglass, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,740, and netting, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,354, have been disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,567 illustrates a pipe that carries pressurized nitrogen gas to an ionization nozzle. The electrical line and ground wire are spaced from the pipe within a hollow cover. The material forming cover is not specified.
In accordance with neutralizing, the production and flow of ion content of both the positive and negative ions needs to be equivalent to one another. As stated, neutralization is the process in which positive and negative ions bond to one another to create a neutral charge. If an unequal amount of either ion is produced, there will still be an unwanted charge at the desired location. For example, if more ions with a negative charge are produced at the ionization nozzle, there will be an insufficient amount of positive ions to bond to those negative ions, thus leaving negative charge in the respective area. Neutralization would not occur. Therefore, it is of major importance that air ionizers produce a balanced number of positive and negative ions.
One method to balancing the ion content so that “unbalancing” of the ions does not occur is to minimize the exposed surface area of the grounded components of the ionizer It is known that particles, such as dust itself, can be attracted to the metal electrodes of the ionizer and therefore can cause the ionizer to “burn out”. Additionally, the ion content in that particular region can become unbalanced, thus creating a more prominent ion (whether positive or negative) at the targeted area, therefore restricting the completion of the neutralization process to the non-conductive object.
Various methods have been developed in an attempt to prevent static electricity or contamination of electrodes from affecting the ion production. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,573 discloses disposing ionizing electrodes in an insulating housing so that the housing shields during the production of ions. The electrodes electrostatically charge the housing to repel the ionized air out of the housing toward a target.
Several methods and devices have been fashioned to constrain the ion content of the target region more balanced which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,055,963 and 6,252,233. U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,963 discloses a self-balancing air ionizer contained in an insulating housing with an ambient air inlet and outlet. A fan is devised to intake ambient air into the housing unit, through an array of electrodes, and then projects the newly ionized air to a designated area. The device self-balances the ion content by isolating the high voltage side of the power supply, including the electrodes, from the ground and does not allow any D.C. charge to flow to the ground. The accumulation of one charge causes a bias charge on the production of the opposite charge; thus creating a balance of ion output and eliminating the need for ion sensors.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,252,233 to Good portrays a system for detecting and balancing the positive and negative ion outputs of an ionizing gun. Separate power supplies are used for the positive and negative ion generating electrodes, with a sensor disposed to detect the ion levels and adjust the power output of the power supplies, which in turn balances the ion output. Balancing the ion content using the above described methods have been fundamentally successful, however, some imbalances may still occur in the target location.
Finally, sensor detection allows for the detection of motion. Several ionization devices have been fashioned to allow for the input of a sensor detector structure. These additions detect motion in a designed located and therefore activate a particular action. In referenced U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,946, a proximity detector is disclosed in which activates the heater-blower motor and ionizer. U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,946 does not disclose an ionization nozzle, but rather an ionizer that is separate from a filtered air circulation system. The patent does include a source of clean dry air. Other relevant features are an enclosure which could be made from, inter alia, “electrostatic-discharge dissipative polymers”. Several additional discovered patents refer to ionized air devices. However, the bulk of these teach systems for providing improved air flow, ion creation systems and power management systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,147, to Biedermann, describes an apparatus for blowing ionized air through a single air outlet. Biedermann particularly teaches the ability to transition from a laminar air flow output stream to a pulsed airflow output stream. Furthermore, the invention teaches the addition of ultrasonic radiation to the cleaning process. One embodiment of the Biedermann disclosure teaches pulsating the airflow and/or ultrasonic radiation in relation to a characteristic frequency of the material object of the object to be cleaned. In another embodiment of the Biedermann invention, the airflow is directed parallel to the object to be cleaned, while the ultrasonic radiation is directed normal to the airflow.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,759, to Zoell, describes a cleaning apparatus having a single laminar airflow outlet and an adjoining suction nozzle. The airflow outlet may also have an ionizing element disposed within. Of particular note is the inclusion of a handle, which is assumed to be insulated, to make the cleaning apparatus portable.
And finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,462 demonstrates an ionizing gas gun comprised of a plastic nozzle, filtration device for the same, a flow sensor, alarm signals and a trigger. Upon activation of the trigger, high voltage is supplied to the electrode and compressed air is supplied to the barrel of the gun. A filtration cartridge is used within the nozzle to maintain cleanliness of the electrode. Flow sensors and alarm signals are installed in order to monitor flow rates and ion output contents of the device.
None of the patents discovered during our search seem to illustrate a shell for insulting and supporting an existing destat device. Additionally, none of the patents discovered seem to contemplate the use of a bracket configuration or stand-off bracket in order to stabilize further an existing destat device. Finally, none of the patents discovered seem to contemplate the use of the combination of a sensor to trigger the flow of compressible air and associated ionization when an article is placed between the air outlets, two ionization nozzles, or plurality of the like, directed at each other, and additionally a frame with panels, enclosures and supports to both protect the existing destat device and the operator.